Golf ball



T. W. MILLER Jan. 30, 1934.

GOLF BALL Filed July 17, 1930 Patented Jan. 30, 1934 s y GOLF BALL Thomas W. Miller, Ashland, Ohio, assignor to The Worthington Ball Company, Elyria, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 17,1930. Serial No. 463,530

16 Claims. (Cl. 27362) My invention relates to golf balls and to semi-liquid material therein. I am aware that processes for making golf balls. cores of this general class have been employed One of the objects of this invention is to proheretofore, but the construction thereof has vide a golf ball of improved constructionand produced cores which have been out-of-round, having improved playing qualities. and out of balance, with the resulting detriment 60 Another object of my invention is to provide to the playing qualities of the finished ball. a golf ball admitting of uniform production in 'I'he core of the golf ball of my invention comquantities. prises a. spherical shell of thin, soft, resilient Another object of my invention is to provide, rubber, so constructed as to be truly spherical to ina golf ball of the type having a liquid or semia relatively high degree of accuracy, and com- 65 liquid filled core, in which the filling material pletely filled with a plastic, liquid, or semi-liqis contained in a spherical shell, an improved uid material; and thus when employed as the construction for the shell. core of a golf ball, it provides a ball the material Other objects will be apparent to those skilled of which is disposed symmetrically around its in the art to which my invention pertains. 'center and symmetrically balanced, upon which 70 My invention is fully described in the followqualities, as is well known, depend the playing ing description, taken in connection with the quality of the golf ball.

accompanying drawing:- In constructing the spherical core shell I first Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a golf ball provide a pair of substantially semi-spherical embodying my invention with a center or core shells 4 and 5, as shown in Fig. 2, molding them 75 thereof in elevation., from thin, soft rubber. The upper of the two Fig. 2 is a view showing the two shell-like secshells 5, as they appear in the drawing, Fig. 2, tions `from which a spherical core shell, which may be provided with spaced perforations 6 and I employ, is constructed. 'I in the wall thereof symmetrically disposed with Fig. 3- is a plan view taken from above of one respect to the axis of symmetry of the semi- 80 of the core shell sections shown in Fig. 2. spherical shell, as described in application for Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the completed United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 405,508, core shell. filed November 7, 1929, by@v Willis E. Reichard.

Fig. 5 is a view of a fragment of a vulcanizing The shell 5 is also provided with a circular line mold, showing the two shell sections positioned 8 inscribed or molded in the exterior surface of g5 therein for molding by their rim flanges. the shell and having its `center on the said axis Fig. 6 is a View of my invention showing part of symmetry, and being disposed in a plane at of a cap, which may be employed for the filled right angles thereto, the purpose of which will b core shell, in section. described. i

The completed golf ball of my invention, illus- The annular edges of the shells 4 and 5 are 90 trated in Fig. 1, comprises a central core or ball formed with inwardly directed annular flanges center 1, which will be described in more detail 30 and 31 respectively outwardly formed to planlater. `Around the core isY wrapped a layer of ular faces 32 and 33 respectively, in the plane rubber threads or bands 2, stretched to produce of the edges. The two semi-spherical shells 4 40 constricting tension, the wrapping being carand 5 thus provided are next joined along the 95 ried on to produce a layer of suitable thickness planes 32 and 33 of the iianges 30 and 31, by cearound and enclosing the core 1. inenting or vulcanizing or any other well-known Finally, a balata rubber covering 3 is molded method, and thus producing a complete spherical on and around the layer of rubber threads 2, this core shell 9, as shown in Fig. 4.

covering preferably being made by flrst forming By means of the flanges 30--31 and their 100 two semi-spherical shells of the material thereof planular faces 32-33 a very strong joint between y andthenenclosing the core l and'wrapped layer the semi-spherical shells may be had. The

2 within theshells, and then, joining the shells semi-spherical walls of the shells may be relativeat their annular edges by heating and pressure. ly thin, but the iianges 30--31 providing large 5 0 Any iin or other irregularity occuring at the annular joining areas. 1054 joint or union of the semi-spherical shells is The core shell thus produced is next lilled with thereafter removed in any suitable manner. The either a plastic, liquid, or semi-liquid filling macenter or' core 1 will now be described. terial and sealed by any approved process such The core 1 `is of the type comprising an outer 'as a cap 28, as shown in Fig. 6, described in apcasing or shell and a filling of plastic, liquid, 0r plication for United States Letters Patent, Serial 110 No. 405,508, filed November '7, 1929, by Willis E. Reichard.

Preferably the shell wall is formed thinner at that portion containing the perforations as shown in drawing Figs. 2 and 4 by depressing the external surface. Thus, after the cap 28 is applied, the wall of the entire completed shell may be of uniform thickness, the thickness of the material of the cap supplementing the thin wall portions; and, thus, the completed core may be a perfect sphere externally as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. In this connection the cap 28 may be a disc in the form of a sphere section and with a very thin annular edge as shown in Fig. 6 and the thin wall portion of the shell may be formed to a supplemental variable thickness to produce a uniform wall thickness as described. The material of the shell is, thus, symmetrically balanced around the sphere center wherebyX a perfectly balanced and symmetrical ball core and finished golf ball including such core is rendered possible. It is obvious that the relatively heavy annular flanges 30 and 31 are in balance around the center.

The ball core 1 or center, is now complete, the filling material completely filling the spherical shell and the material of the core is nowsubstantially symmetrically disposed around Athe center thereof, producing a spherical and balanced core.

When the completed core 1 has been embodied in the golf ball as hereinbefore referred to in connection with the description of Fig. 1, a complete golf ball having a plastic, liquid, or semiliquid core is provided, all the parts of which are either spherical, as for instance the filling material of the` core, or lie in spherical lines symmetrically disposed around the center of the ball, and thus the ball with a plastic, liquid, or semiliquid core type is. provided with superior claim qualities.

My invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, inasmuch as many changes in and modifications thereof may be made within the scope of my invention, but without departing from the spirit thereof or sacrificing its advantages.

As will now be clear, one'of the advantages of my invention is that it permits the employment of a fillingl material of any degree of fluidity,` from very thin free flowing materials to semi-liquid viscous, or even plastic materials, and therefore my invention is in no sense limited to any particular filling material or degree of fluidity thereof.

In the claims, the term fluid will be understood to apply to all such materials.

y I claim: Y

1. A casing for the fluid material of a golf ball of the fluid core type, constructed from a pair of substantially hemispherical shells of rubber or like material, joined together at their annular edges, and a portion of the external spherical surface of one shell being flattened relative to its adjacent inner surface to provide a relatively thin wall portion, and a pair of spaced perforations in the said. wall portion, through one of which filling material may be injected and out of the other of which air may escape.l

2. A casing for the fluid material of a golf `ball of ,the fluid core'type, constructed from a pair of substantiallyl hemispherical yshells of 'resilient rubber or like material, joined together at their annular edges and a portion of the external spherical surface of the casing wall. being flattened relative to its adjacent in'ner surface to pro- `ly thin wall portion, a pair of spaced perforations through one of which filling material may be injected and out of the other of which air may escape.

3. A center for golf balls comprising a hollow spherical shell of rubber or like resilient material the wall thereof being of generally uniform thickness and a portion of the external spherical surface being flattened to provide a relatively thin Wall portion, a pair of spaced perforations n said wall portion, through one of which filling material may be injected and out of the other of which air may escape, a fluid material filling the shell and a cap sealed upon the shell at said thin portion and covering and sealing the perforations.

4. A center for golf balls comprising a hollow spherical shell of rubber or like resilient material, the Wall thereof being of generally uniform thickness and a portion of the external spherical surface thereof being flattened to provide a relatively thin wall portion, a pair of spaced perforations in said'wall portion, through one of which filling material may be injected and out of the other of v which air may escape, a fluid material filling the shell, and a cap sealed upon the shell at said thin portion and covering andsealing the perforations and the combined thickness of the thin portion and of the cap thereon being substantially the same vasthe thickness of the other portions o the shell wall.

5. A center for golf balls lcomprising a hollow spherical shell or like resilient material, the wall thereof being of generally uniform thickness and a portion of the external spherical surface thereof being flattened to provide a relatively thin wall 110 portion, a pair of spaced perforations in said wall portion, through one of which filling material may be injected and out of the other of which air may escape, a fluid material filling the shell and a cap sealed upon the shell at said thin por- 115 tion and covering and sealing the perforations, said shell being formed from a pair of substantially hemispherical shell portions joinedtogether at their annular edges.

6. A center for golf balls comprising a hollow 120 spherical shell of rubber or like resilient material, the wall thereof being of generally uniform thickness and a portion of the external spherical surface thereof being flattened to provide a relativein said wall portion, through one of which filling material may be injected and out of the other of which air may escape, a fluid material filling the shell and a cap sealed upon the shell at said thin portion and coveringY and sealing the perforations said shell being formed from a pair of substantially hemispherical shell portions joined together at their annular edges, and the said wall portion and perforations being formed in one of the shell portions.

7. A center for golf ballscomprising a hollow spherical shell of rubber or like resilient material, the wall thereof being of generally uniform thickness and a portion of the external spherical surface thereof being flattened to provide a relatively thin wall portion, a pair of spaced perforations in said wall portion, through one of which filling material may be injected and out of the other of whichair may escape, a fluid materiall filling the shell and a cap sealed upon the shell 145 at said thin portion and covering and sealing the perforations, the combined thickness of the thin portion and of the cap thereon being substantially the same as the thickness of the other portions of the shell wall, said shell being formed from a 150 pair of substantially hemispherical shell portions joined together at their annular edges, and the said Wall portion and perforations being formed in one of the shell portions.

8. In a casing for golf ball cores of the uid core type, a substantially hemispherical shell of rubber or like material, a portion of the shell wall being externally flattened to provide a relatively thin wall portion and a pair of spaced perforations in said portion.

9. A center for golf balls comprising a hollow spherical shell of rubber or like resilient material, the major portion of the Wall thereof being of generally uniform thickness and a portion of the external spherical surface thereof being flattened to provide a relatively thin wall portion, a perforation in said wall portion through which filling material may be injected, a fluid material filling the shell, and the Wall comprising a cap upon the shell at said thin portion covering and sealing the perforation and increasing the wall thickness at the thin portion to substantially the same thickness as that of the major portion.

10. A center for golf balls comprising a hollow spherical shell constructed from a pair of substantially hemispherical shells of resilient rubber or like material and of generally uniform wall thickness joined together at their annular edges and a portionl of the external spherical surface of the shell being flattened to provide a relatively thin wall portion, a perforation in said Wall portion through which filling material may be injected, a fluid material lling the shell, and the wall comprising a cap upon the shell at said thin portion covering and sealing the perforation and increasing the wall thickness at the thin portion to substantially the same thickness as that of the remainder of the said shell.

11. A casing for the fluid material of al golf ball of the fluid core type constructed from a pair of substantially spherical shells, of rubber or like material.y joined together at their annular edges, and a portion of the casing wall being of reduced thickness, a pair of spaced perforations in said reduced wall portion through one of which filling material may be injected and out of the other of which air may escape.

12. A casing for the fluid material of a golf ball of the fluid core type constructed from a pair of substantially spherical shells, of rubber or like material, joinedv together at their annular edges, and a portion of the wall of one shell being of reduced thickness. a pair of spaced perforations in said reduced wall portion through one of which lling material may be injected and out of the other of which air may escape.

l?. A center for golf balls comprising a'hollow spherical shell of rubber or like` resilient material, the Wall thereto being of generally uniform thickness and a portion of the wall being of reduced thickness, a pair of spaced perforations in said reduced wall portion through one of which filling material may be injected and out of the other of which air may escape, a fluid material filling the shell, and a cap sealed upon the shell at said reduced portion, covering and sealing the perforations, and the combined thickness of the reduced portion and of the cap thereon being substantially the same as the thickness of the other portions of the shell.

form thickness, a portion of the wall of one shell being of reduced thickness, a pair of spaced perforations in said reduced wall portion through one of whichfllling material may be injected and out of the other of which air may escape, a fluid material filling the shell, and a cap sealed upon the shell at said reduced portion, covering and sealing the perforations, and the combined thickness of the reduced portion and of Ythe-cap thereon being substantially the same as the thickness of the other portions of the shell.

15. A center for golf balls comprising a hollow spherical shell of rubber or like resilient material, the Wall thereof being of generally uniform thickness and a portion of the Wall being constructed from a -pair of substantially hemispherical shells having walls of substantially uniform thickness, a portion of the Wall of one shell being of reduced thickness, a perforation in said reduced wall portions through which filling material may be injected, a fluid material filling the shell, and a cap sealed upon the shell at said reduced portion, covering and sealing the perfora` tion, and the combined thickness of the reduced portion and of the cap thereon being substantially the same as the thickness of the other portions of the shell. l

THOMAS W. MILLER. 

